Preparation of Ferromagnetic Semiconducting CdCr2S4 Thin Films by Chemical Bath Deposition methods

Ferromagnetic thin films of CdCr2S4 compound were independently deposited onto Glass, Si(100), and YSZ(100) substrates by simple chemical bath deposition (CBD) method. The films were found to be uniform and adherent to substrates. The samples were characterized by structural, optical and magnetic measurements techniques. Nanocrystalline particles of ferromagnetic spinel CdCr2S4 is synthesized with an average particle size of about 100-250 nm. The XRD and Scanning Electron Micrographs (SEM) studies revealed that the films are polycrystalline, are quite monodispersed structures and well-covered the substrate without any cracks or pinholes.An analysis of the optical absorption data of the as-deposited films revealed an optical direct transition with an estimated band gap Eg of about 2.43 eV lying in the range of common semi-conducting materials. CdCr2S4 films exhibit ferromagnetism up to Curie temperature, Tc of 85K